The World's Most Unforgiving Sweet
by MischiefHasBeenManaged
Summary: Hermione and George wake up with gum sticking their heads together. Written for the Twin Exchange's Monthly Challenge for April 2011.


**A/N: This was written for the Twin Exchange's Monthly Challenge for April. I hope you all like it :]**

**Prompt: Gum**

**Pairing: Hermione/George**

**Quote: "She has no idea."**

**Theme: Easter**

* * *

><p>"George Weasley! Wake up this instant!" A booming feminine voice rung in his ear, literally.<p>

He tried to jerk his head away from the piercing noise, but the painful tugging at the hair on the right side of his head stopped him. His hand automatically raised to the source of the pain and he felt something else seemingly attached to the side of his head.

After fingering it for a moment, he decided it was _another_ head, belonging to _another_ person. And upon even further inspection, the thick curls and intoxicating scent of peach and vanilla told him this other person was none other than Hermione Granger, his younger brother's best friend and the current object of his affections, not that anyone knew, of course.

"Hermione?" he questioned, just to make sure.

"Yes. How did you know?" her rather confused voice carried over to him.

"Never mind," he answered swiftly, "What's important is why we're stuck together."

"I really don't know, I'm sorry, George."

"Why are we even together?"

"No clue," she whispered.

George thought he heard a hint of sadness in her voice, but he couldn't turn his head to look at her because of the mysterious substance sticking them together.

"Maybe it's a sticking charm?" George suggested after a moment of silence.

"It's not, if it was I'd be able to break it."

"What else could it be?"

"Fred."

"What?"

"You asked what else it could be, it could be Fred playing a joke on us," Hermione explained.

"Why would he do that?"

"He's Fred."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means he always plays jokes on people, as do you."

"But he wouldn't do something like this, would he?" George frowned.

"I don't know, he's your twin. Would you do something like this?"

"No, it's horrible. Unless..." he trailed off, wondering if Fred had found out about his crush on the young war hero and done this because of that.

"Unless what?" the previously mentioned war hero asked him.

"Nothing," he said dismissively. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well, I was staying with my parents for Easter and-"

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"Easter? What's Easter?"

"You know, a giant rabbit, lots of chocolate?"

George looked thoroughly confused, but Hermione couldn't see his expression, of course. He blinked a few times before answering, "Never heard of it. _Why_ haven't I heard of it? A giant bunny and lots of chocolate sounds perfect for pranks."

"Has your father really never told you about Easter?" Hermione asked, more than a little perplexed.

"No, is it some Muggle thing?"

"Yes, it celebrates the resurrection of Christ."

George blinked, "Who?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "The son of God? I'm sure you would've learnt about him in Muggle Studies."

"I never paid attention in any subject, least of all Muggle Studies."

"Well, anyway, I was with my parents and I'd stopped-"

"Tell me more about chocolate and giant rabbits," George cut her off.

"I think figuring out why our heads are stuck together is more important."

"I guess you're right. But you'll tell me later?" he asked excitedly, sounding like a little kid.

"Of course. Now, as I was saying, I'd stopped off at The Burrow to see you-"

"Me?" he felt his heart speed up a little.

"Well, you and your family, and Harry, too," she answered simply, oblivious to the way he deflated beside her. "I remember seeing Molly and Fred, but then nothing. It's like my mind has gone blank."

"Well, last thing I remember I was in my room, lying on my bed, daydreaming."

"Considering we're on your bed, I think it's safe to assume nothing happened with you, but how did I get up here? And what is in our hair?

"Don't know and don't know."

"Well, aren't you a lot of help," Hermione muttered sarcastically. "Come on, we're going to find a mirror, or better, someone who has answers."

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" he cried as Hermione stood, causing his hair to be pulled painfully.

"If you come with me, it won't hurt anymore," she explained slowly, talking as if he were stupid.

"Okay, I'm coming already," he muttered, getting up to follow.

If they thought walking to the door with their heads stuck together was awkward, they hadn't even considered what making it down the stairs would be like. They paused at the top and glanced sideways at each other.

"How's this going to work?" George asked.

"No clue," she replied, frowning and nibbling at her lip.

Suddenly, George had an idea and lifted the younger witch into his arms before she could tell him to stop. She squealed and clutched into him, her nails digging into his arm, but he found he didn't much care.

"George, what are you doing?" she asked, trying to stop her heart pounding too hard.

"Carrying you," he answered simply, "I thought this would be a lot more comfortable."

"Well, it isn't," she lied.

He raised an eyebrow and she realised just how close their faces were to each other, their cheeks were touching, for Merlin's sake! If she felt so inclined, she could easily turn her head just a little and kiss him. Not that she wanted too, of course. And whatever it was sticking their hair together probably wouldn't allow that to happen anyway.

George smiled at her wide eyes and carefully made his way down the stairs. It wasn't like him to do thinks slowly or cautiously, but he was carrying very precious cargo that he didn't want harmed in any way. When they reached the living room, they spotted Harry and Ginny sitting on the couch, entwined in each other's arms.

Hermione coughed pointedly to alert the couple of their presence and watch with slight amusement as they both looked up in shock. The shock then turned to confusion as they realised George was carrying Hermione.

"Care to explain? Ginny asked with raised eyebrows.

George set Hermione down and they took half a step away from each other, showing Ginny and Harry that they were stuck.

"Okay, and how did that happen?" Ginny looked at them both suspiciously.

"She has no idea, neither do I," George answered. "Could you tell us what it is?"

Harry walked behind them, chuckling slightly at how bent George was to get his head down to the same level as Hermione's. He frowned as he inspected their hair for a few moments.

"Gum," he announced.

"Gum, as in, chewing gum?" Hermione asked.

"The very same."

"How on earth did I get chewing gum in my hair? And why is George on the other end of it?" she thought out loud. "Do you two know anything about this?"

"No," the couple answered together.

"Well, someone must," George sighed. "We need to find Mum and Fred."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because they're the last people she remembers seeing," he explained.

"Well, I'm not sure about Mum, but Fred's at the shop," Ginny said, "Or at least that's where he said he was going."

"Thanks, Gin," Hermione smiled, "We'll go there now, you two can stay."

George was preparing to apparate when a thought struck Hermione, "Wait!"

"What?" George frowned, freezing in place.

"We have to apparate together," she took his arm, "Who knows what would happen if we tried separately. We might come out the other side half-bald."

"Good thinking, Granger," he smirked a little, apparating them to Weasleys' Wizards Wheezes in Diagon Alley.

"Fred?" Hermione called out when they arrived, "Fred? Are you here?"

"He's smarter than you think, he'll be hiding."

They looked around the shop and the apartment above and found no sign of Fred.

"I don't have time for this," Hermione sighed after about twenty minutes, "Why don't we just cut it?"

"Cut it, as in our hair?" George asked in shock.

"Yes, as in our hair, what else would I be talking about?"

"No, I will not let you do that," he said stubbornly.

"Do you have any better ideas?"

"No," he looked down, feeling a little useless.

She sighed, "Can we sit? My head's beginning to ache, and I can't imagine yours will feel much better."

He began to nod, but stopped short when his hair got yet another painful tug, "Sure."

The pair manoeuvred their way through the clutter of the living room and sat with satisfied sighs on the plush sofa.

"George?" Hermione asked softly, her voice so quiet he could hardly hear it.

"Yes?" he whispered, feeling the need to match the pitch and volume of her voice.

"Why do you think Fred did this? When I mentioned it, it seemed like you knew something, but you just dismissed my question. If there's a reason why he'd do this to us, I think I deserve to know."

He sighed, she did deserve to know, he'd been hiding it from her – from everyone – long enough.

"I think he might have found out about my feelings for you," he told her.

"Your..." she gulped nervously, "Your feelings for me?"

"I like you, Hermione I really like you. I know I probably shouldn't, but I do."

Hermione turned to face him. Wait – she _turned?_ Wasn't she stuck to the side of his head two seconds ago? Her hand flew up to her hair, only to find it back to normal and no sign of any sticky substance. She looked at George's hair and found it completely gum-free too.

"I know you don't feel the same way about me," he continued, taking her stunned silence as a bad sign, "And I'm sorry that I have these feelings for you, but I can't help it, it's like I get drawn to you or something. I can't seem to fight it no matter how hard I try, you're like a drug to me, Hermione, and I'm addicted to you. I'm so much happier whenever you're around, even when I've been in a bad mood, you just effect me that much, you make me happy to matter what. You're like a light to me, always making everything seem brighter and better, you-"

"You're rambling, George," she smiled at him.

"Sorry," he looked away, blushing a little.

"George?"

"Yes?" he was preparing himself for the rejection he was sure to come.

"Look at me."

He turned to have her, and frowned when he saw the smile on her face. She looked at him expectantly for a few moments, before he clicked and his hand drifted up to his head.

"How-?" George's question was cut off by a voice from the shadows.

"I charmed the gum to disappear when you told her."

"How'd you do that?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Mum taught me," Fred explained.

"Why would she approve of this?" George frowned, slightly annoyed.

"Because she thinks you two are perfect for each other."

Both Hermione and George blushed a little.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it, then," Fred said, walking to the door, "Have fun."

With a completely unsubtle wink towards his twin, he left the room.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that because of me," George apologised weakly.

"I don't mind."

"How can you not mind? Your head must hurt pretty badly, I know mind does."

"I don't mind because going through that because it meant you told me how you felt about me," she said quietly, looking up into his eyes.

He stared at her, waiting for something to happen.

"I like you, too, George," she smiled nervously at him.

"You do?" he blinked.

"Yes," a pink tinge travelled up her cheeks, "Quite a lot actually."

"Would you like to, uh, go out with me some time?" he asked.

"Of course I would, silly," she smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Can you tell me about the giant bunny and lots of chocolate thing now?"

Hermione laughed softly and laid her head in his lap, "I'd love to."


End file.
